Dunedin street evacuated after report of gas leak

Fire fighters are attending a gas leak in Oxford St. Photo / Gregor Richardson - Otago Daily Times

Some residents of Oxford St have been evacuated as a result of a gas leak in South Dunedin.

A Fire Service spokesman said three appliances had been sent to Oxford St to investigate the leak after receiving a report from a member of the public about 3.30pm.

The street had been cordoned off from Andersons Bay Rd to Cashel St.

There was a strong smell of gas in the area, but firefighters were yet to determine the source of the smell.

Evacuations of the immediate area had been completed and anyone nearby who had not been evacuated should stay indoors and close their windows, he said.

One of the evacuated residents said she first smelt gas about 2pm today.

"I certainly thought you could smell it at 2 o'clock. I didn't think anything of it," she said.

Emergency services staff had shown up at the door of her flat and "told us to get out".

A block of 16 flats had all been evacuated.

Among those evacuated was Vi McCormick.

"One of the men came around and told me I had to leave," she said.

She had time to grab her dog, Shay, and leave.

A police officer at the scene said the source of the leak was yet to be identified.

A contractor alerted emergency services after smelling gas while working on the road, he said.

Nova Gas was on site to help firefighters locate the source of the gas and a St John ambulance was also there as a precaution.

About 100m stretch of the road had been closed to the public.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus could been seen using water to suppress the gas.

A block of 16 flats and neighbouring houses had been evacuated.